Cybersecurity

TINLEY PARK- Illinois residents’ cybersecurity could soon be at risk due to the Trump administration’s push to kill privacy regulations passed by the Federal Communication Commission last fall.

The resolution passed the U.S. Senate 50 to 48 with a mostly partisan vote to end regulations that would require Internet service providers like Verizon, Comcast and AT&T to give explicit consent before sharing consumers’ web-browsing data and personal information with advertisers and other-third party companies.

“Trump’s administration just picked the interests of Internet service providers over the rights of our citizens,” Hastings said. “The way we use the Internet has evolved. We pay bills, buy groceries and receive our news online. Area residents should be able to pay their bills online without worrying a stranger has access to their personal data and records.”

Advocates from the ACLU, Public Knowledge and Free Press have criticized this move as a violation of free speech.

Hastings is working at the state level to update Internet safety laws. His initiative, Senate Bill 1502, would require commercial websites that collect personal information to notify customers of the information they have collected as well as any third parties with whom they may have disclosed personal information with.

“The need for state-level cybersecurity regulations is more important than ever,” Hastings said. “As the federal government continues their mission to erode the rights and privacy of our citizens, I will do whatever I can do in Illinois to protect residents’ privacy and security.”

Senate Bill 1502 passed the Senate’s Judiciary Committee with bipartisan support. Hastings hopes this measure will pass the full Senate within the next month.

SPRINGFIELD— State Senator Michael E. Hastings (D-Tinley Park) worked today to investigate the cybersecurity breach at the Illinois State Board of Elections.

During the 2016 election year, 70,000 to 80,000 names from the State Board of Elections voter registration system were compromised.

Hastings convened the Illinois Senate Subcommittee on Cybersecurity to receive a full report on the cybersecurity breach that the Illinois State Board of Elections experienced during the 2016 election year to ensure Illinois residents that protections are in place to protect their personal data and resolve unanswered questions.

“Our elections are a sacred component of our nation’s democracy,” Hastings said. “I cannot stand up as foreign agents meddle in Illinois and U.S. elections. I do not care what political party the people of Illinois pick to represent them, but I do want outcome of our elections to be accurate.”

The Illinois State Board of Elections reported that seven IP addresses were linked back to the Netherlands. Two servers were reported to have participated in the attack, “Fancy Bear” and “Cozy Bear”, which are the two largest hacking groups rumored to be tied to the Russian federal security systems run by King Servers, which is stationed in Russia.

Hastings reiterated that the hacking of voter registration data in Illinois was similar to security breaches at the national level and in France and Denmark.

A key finding from the hearing, found as local election authorities synced and update data with the Illinois State Board of Elections, was that the local election authorities databases could possibly become compromised as well.

Hastings is calling for the Illinois State Board of Elections to aid local election authorities to scrape their system of potential malware software to remove any type of security weakness. His office will be sending out a letter to every local election authority urging them to scrape election databases to prevent possible hackers and intrusive software that may be hiding within their systems.

“I am extremely concerned that our local and state election authorities may have hackers hiding within our databases phishing for future attacks,” Hastings said. “Our democracy is important. It is important enough that I put my life on the line for our nation, as many others have. I will not rest until we take every precaution to ensure similar attacks on our liberties and righteous values do not happen again.”

Hastings commended the representatives from the Illinois State Board of Elections for their forthright and honest answers.

SPRINGFIELD – In an effort to protect governmental information from phishing schemes and coordinated cyber-attacks legislation backed by State Senator Mattie Hunter (D- Chicago) was signed into law that will require state employees to take cyber-security training on an annual basis.

“Hacking experts are becoming more creative by identifying new ways to obstruct governmental information systems,” said Hunter. “Training our employees in cybersecurity is critical in reducing the risks of such sophisticated attacks.”

The initiative was modeled after a Florida law which was enacted to ensure that the state’s data and staff resources are maintained reliably and safely and are recoverable in the event of a disaster.

“This legislation will not only improve the accessibility of electronic information and information technology but will increase education, employment and access to governmental information and services,” said Hunter.

SPRINGFIELD — As the federal government rolls back regulations to allow commercial websites like Google and Facebook sell Illinois residents’ personal data; State Senator Michael E. Hastings (D-Tinley Park) is leading the charge to increase protections.

Hastings passed Senate Bill 1502, the Right to Know Act, which would allow consumers to request what information such companies collect about them.

“As the federal government continues to roll back regulations that would allow companies like Google and Facebook to sell and share your personal data, the need for state regulations has become absolutely vital,” Hastings said. “This day and age we can do everything online from paying our bills to buying groceries. The price of surfing the web shouldn’t mean sacrificing your privacy and personal information.”